Weekly Rochester Events #449: The Elizabeths Start Counting

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Wednesday was Ali's last softball game of the year so I went to that. Although her team lost, she did score a run, hit a double, and snagged two pop flies. Afterward we went to Tom Wahl's (2510 Rochester Rd., Canandaigua) for dinner with a couple of her teammates. For a fast-food joint it's still got all the national chains beat hands-down in quality. I got back home and went out to Solera Wine Bar (647 South Ave) for some wine, hanging out with the regulars there.

On Thursday I was dying for Chinese food so I ordered a decent meal from The New Number One Chinese Restaurant (1925 South Ave.) ... my only advice from there is to avoid the beef because it always disappoints me. Afterward I headed to Eastmoreland Commons (Eastmoreland Dr. at Shelbourne Rd.) and helped set up for National Night Out — postponed from the "national" day of Tuesday because of rain.

I hung around long enough to get some ice cream and then ran off to Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) for the meeting of The Bertrand Russell Society. I believe it was David White who hosted the discussion. He talked about Russell's political views, particularly the idea of "Guild Socialism" which is about replacing corporations with democratically elected cooperatives. That way, rather than an organization hiring a person, people would decide to join a guild. Another thing of note was that people whose growth is restricted tend to view their environment as their enemy.

Overall I was unimpressed. I thought the theories were better than average, but relied on people acting smartly. It may be effective, but we need to fix the education system to create people who know how to debate and such.

I went to Monty's Korner (355 East Ave.) after that and joined the crew from Drinking Liberally. At first it was an ordinary light crowd, but as the night went on, I think about 35 people attended. It was remarkable.

On Friday I got up and earned my self-made "I'm a MySpace winner" T-shirt (you cannot buy one at JayceLand's CafePress Store) by canceling my account with them. That night Ali and I went to Paola's Burrito Place (1921 South Ave., formerly Big Dog's Hots) for an excellent dinner before heading to the Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) to see Sacco e Vanzetti (Sacco and Vanzetti). The film was an adaptation of real events of Bartolomeo Vanzetti and Nicola Sacco who were anarchists in 1920's, and who were framed for murder because of it. It's just as current as today: where people believe that sometimes their ideals are more important than the lives of others, and that they'd rather protect their "system" over the lives of the innocent. Although it got off to a slow start, the tension builds toward their inevitable execution.

Once again I'm confronted with anarchism — some of Bertrand Russell's ideas being the earlier example. And worse in this case: the ultimate nightmare of becoming a martyr without consent. Unfortunately I have little faith in humanity's capacity to behave responsibly as a group — as individuals, I rely on it, but once in a group, well, refer to the previous paragraph for an example of how bad dishrags-with-power can get. I do believe, though, that we can grow to a state where group behavior is enlightened. For now, it can be done only in small groups of wise, caring people. Whenever I come to such a conclusion, I'm resonated back to Ayn Rand and Atlas Shrugged in which the people who believed in such a code of ethics found their own land to excel, leaving the rest of the world to wallow in their incompetence and petty competitiveness. I suspect that someday I'll end up thriving in such a place — more likely accomplished by a double-standard of behavior with those I trust and those I don't.

I guess it goes back to my issue with "authority" — that authority is granted by each individual rather than being attained by one. As I've said before as an example, I grant police the authority to issue me a citation for violating the law; the police do not "have" authority to do so. All problems come from people who believe in claimed authority. Whether it's a king or an angry driver, it's their belief in their authority over others that causes all of society's ills. For if everyone was equal and one needed authority to be granted by the oppressed, then man would have no reason to be angry at another man.

Good luck with that one in your dog-eat-dog world.

Anyhow, on Saturday I did my usual bike ride to The Rochester Public Market (280 Union St. N.) I had a great coffee from Java Joe's (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #1 in the Public Market) then a cheap-and-good breakfast sandwich at Scott's II Original Food Stand (Public Market at Railroad St.) I dawdled around at garage sales on the way home and got a few deals and in a stoke of serendipity, I happened to meet the brother of Roger who runs Freewheelers (1757 Mount Hope Ave) who was having a sale of his own.

When I got home I tinkered around with stuff on the computers (unsuccessfully trying to get Windows NT to recognize USB devices) and finally came up with a way to fix an SD memory card formatted on my Macintosh computer so it would work with my digital camera. What worked for me was to format the card for DOS with no Mac OS 9 drivers, then to go to the Terminal, cd /Volumes/UNTITLED and then remove the ".Trash" files with rm -fr .Trashes. You know, in case somebody wants to know.

That night I went to Monty's Korner (355 East Ave.) because they were having a fundraising event for a new film by Discreet Charm Productions called Sleep Shift. They were playing some clips of writer/director Neal Dhand's other films and I recognized Maze which I had seen at The Emerging Filmmakers Series at The Little (240 East Ave.) back at the end of May — it was one of the films I really liked from the whole series. Anyway, I guess Dhand now has a mostly-completed script and he'll be shooting in Rochester. I was pleased to note that everyone involved seemed to be on the ball — not like some films where there's some question of the talent of the writer/director, or that there's some key player with an issue with blowing all the money up their nose. It seems to be on the level and good to go.

Also, the band Dhand uses for his films, Night Gallery played. I liked them with their good, somewhat atmospheric, mostly down-tempo rock. It's too bad they were so loud while it was light outside. I have this theory that when it's dark out, it's comforting to hear someone be loud for you because an instinct somewhere says that loud creatures at night are very powerful. During the daytime it's just annoying.

Afterward I headed to Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) and got to check out The Police who did good noise-rock cacophony. Next I headed to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) and really enjoyed Tiger Cried Beef — their perfect-rock style is really just that. And technical. And well constructed. Next was The White Devils who, like I expect, do a technical perfection of the bluesy power-rock style. I was getting tired so I only stayed through part of Gaylord who were really tearing it up.

Sunday Ali and I got together and headed to The Akropolis Family Restaurant (4025 Route 5 and 20, Canandaigua) for lunch. We both had the lasagne, but realized that we were eating late and that her friend Stacie would be cooking dinner for us. We went there and lounged in the pool, had cocktails, and an excellent dinner before heading home.

Monday night I was back at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) for another show. This time I had another great smoothie: hazelnut ... just hazelnut flavoring. Mmmm. Baby Shivers Boutique put on a great "unplugged" set and then Dustin and the Furniture played. The band is really just one guy and he does a quirky version of folk-rock; and tonight, he included a couple successful sing-a-longs. I decided to head home for an early night.

Tuesday Ali and I once again headed out to dinner. Although both of us wanted to go to Magnolia's Market and Deli (366 Park Ave.) I had a coupon for this The Roadhouse Grill (830 Jefferson Rd.) for $10 off a dinner of $20 or more. Aside from the wine, it was awful. The food was like buying single-servings of items from your grocer's freezer aisle, reheated in a generic, professional kitchen. It was also expensive: the wine came up to $6 per glass and the total was $58 before the coupon — $40 in crappy food that only cost us $30.

To add insult to injury, the slogan on the coasters is "Real American Food. And Proud of It." Go fuck yourselves, Roadhouse: real American food is made by Americans in a kitchen, not some corporate factory. The only time Roadhouse's food is touched by human hands at all is probably when it's picked/herded, and then when it's reheated in the kitchen by some disaffected drone working minimum wage. And "proud" — just exactly who is proud? I saw no pride demonstrated by anyone employed at this establishment — perhaps it's just cashing in on a slogan to draw in morons who look no further than a randomly placed call to jingoism.

So if you enjoy paying gourmet prices for Denny's-grade food, this may be your kind of place. If you like the "romantic" (a.k.a. wussy) concept of the roadhouse, but dislike true rebels and chain-link fence implemented as thrown-bottle-guards in front of the kitchen, this may be your kind of place.

But if this kind of experience makes you sad beyond belief that you should have gone to Magnolia's, your only consolation is ice cream at The Corn Hill Creamery (290 Exchange Blvd.) which successfully cheered us up. Somebody please eat at Magnolia's so we can be forgiven.

Anyway, that's it until we get back from vacation. I added events through September when I supposedly will pick things up again. I also didn't really highlight anything to go see. You'll have to choose your own adventure.

T H U R S D A Y

Thursday, August 16 Tonight at The Strathallan (550 East Ave.) from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. is a Sip and Tip to help fund activities at CP Rochester (3399 S. Winton Rd., formerly the Cerebral Palsy Association). [source: Craigslist Rochester events] The Inventor's Society of Western New York will be having their monthly meeting in Rundel Auditorium at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) starting at 6:30 p.m. [source: Rochester Public Library calendar] Tonight at The Baobab Cultural Center (728 University Ave., formerly on Gregory St.) at 7 p.m. is a screening of Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, a documentary about the woman who became the first black woman nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award. [source: Baobab website] Over at Starry Nites Café (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) starting around 8 p.m. is Devon Trumell. [source: Starry Nites calendar] [all ages] Tonight at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is The Westview Project starting around 8 p.m. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Il mercenario (The Mercenary) starting at 8 p.m. in which "a group of revolutionaries hire a Polish gun-for-hire, but are thwarted by a well-dressed and brutal government agent. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Coulter, energetic bar rock from The Mercies, and very tight modern-rock music from Veluxe starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] This evening from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is The South Wedge Farmers Market. [source: Rochester Turning] [all ages] Tonight and every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Learning Center at Brighton Memorial Library (2300 Elmwood Ave.) is a meeting of The Rochester Movie Makers Club [source: AIVF Salon Rochester Yahoo! Group] Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30. [source: Daily Perks calendar] Drinking Liberally meets at 8 p.m. tonight at Monty's Korner (355 East Ave.) [source: RocWiki calendar]

F R I D A Y

Friday, August 17 Tonight from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at The Image City Photography Gallery (722 University Ave.) is the opening reception for Color, Shape, Form, and ... Cat, photographs by Dan Neuberger. The show runs through September 9. [source: Image City Photography Gallery e-mail] Tonight at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is Degan, and acoustic soloist (with a little country) Nora Kaminski starting around 8 p.m. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages] Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) will be hosting great motley folk from Baby Shivers Boutique and more starting around 8 p.m. for Ian's Birthday Party. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing The Great Dictator starting at 8 p.m. and again on Sunday at 7 p.m. In it, Charlie Chaplin plays a totalitarian dictator ... and a poor Jewish barber ... and it's his first speaking role ... and it was released just one year before the United States entered WWII. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Over at Johnny's Irish Pub (1382 Culver Rd., still smoke-free) starting around 9 p.m. is solidly good bluegrass band The String Theory Bluegrass Band. [source: Johnny's Irish Pub calendar]

S A T U R D A Y

Saturday, August 18 There's a Bagel Brunch at the playground next door to Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. [source: sign] [all ages] Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) will be hosting really talented guitarist and singer Kinloch Nelson, and Walt Atkison starting around 8 p.m. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing City Lights starting at 8 p.m. and again tomorrow at 5 p.m. In this one,{chaplin}convinces a blind flower girl that he's rich and funds an operation to restore her sight. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Electric Organic will be at Java's (16 Gibbs St.) starting around 9 p.m. [source: Java's calendar] [all ages] Pure instrumental funk from The Filthy Funk will be at Bodhi's Cafe & Lounge (274 Goodman St. N., in Village Gate) starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bodhi's Cafe MySpace page] Over at The Dub Land Underground (315 Alexander St., formerly Whiskey) starting around 9:30 p.m. is Mike Fyler and The Macro Meltdown, and Sleeping Giant. [source: JamBase calendar for Rochester] Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is slower, cleaner metal from Orodruin, Gates of Slumber, Centurian's Ghost, and The Apostles Of The Hidden Son starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [21+] Tonight at All Things Art (65 S. Main St., Canandaigua) is Wickedly Sent Sketch Comedy starting at 7 p.m. ... perhaps this Wick-edly Sent (94 S. Main St., Canandaigua)? [source: Freetime] Tonight's another Betty's Sing-a-Long at Betty Meyer's Bullwinkle Café (622 Lake Ave., a.k.a. "Bullwinkle's") starting around 10.

M O N D A Y

Monday, August 20 Over at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) starting around 8 p.m. is Jon LaDeau. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages] Bored? Why not check out 1980's DJ night at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 11 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar]

T U E S D A Y

Tuesday, August 21 This morning at 7:30 a.m. in the cafeteria overlooking the arboretum in Bausch and Lomb (140 Stone St.) is the Artists Breakfast Group meeting ... anyone interested in art or creativity is invited. Lullatone, and Teletextile will be at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) starting around 8 p.m. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Windows starting at 8 p.m. I can't resist quoting from the Eastman House calendar: "in this disturbing thriller set in an apartment complex, psychotic Peeping Tom Andrea hires a rapist to attack her mousy neighbor Emily. While she hopes that Emily will be driven into her arms, Andrea's plans go awry when Emily falls for a detective investigating the case. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Grime Time, and Blood Bath and Beyond will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is hosting an Acoustic Open Mic from 8 to 10. [source: Daily Perks calendar]

T H U R S D A Y

Thursday, August 23 The Baobab Cultural Center (728 University Ave., formerly on Gregory St.) will be screening Lackawanna Blues tonight at 7 p.m. [source: Baobab website] Crush the Junta, awesome chaos rock, power-rock, and power-jam all at once from Knife Crazy, and math-metal from Trystero will be at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Carbon Records calendar] [21+]

S A T U R D A Y

Saturday, August 25 There's a Bagel Brunch at the playground next door to Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. [source: sign] [all ages] Today at Highland Bowl (South Ave. at Robinson Dr.) is The Anuual Bug Jar Free Summer Music Festival featuring The Buffalo Killers, rock-blues/bluegrass/rockabilly/ska-ish/Klezmer-ish and a powerful organic rhythm from The Sundresses, (once again) Knife Crazy, hard-hitting, loud punk-rock from Ghostharm, Cherry Gun, Triglactagon, and perfect rock-and-roll from Tiger Cried Beef from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. [source: GaragePop Records website] Today the crew from The Great Chicken Wing Hunt will be passing through Rochester on a quest for the perfect chicken wing. They'll be touring from 1:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. and you can join them on their 5 area stops starting at L and M Lanes (873 Merchants Rd.) [source: Craigslist Rochester events] Tonight at Bodhi's Cafe & Lounge (274 Goodman St. N., in Village Gate) is Kinloch Nelson starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bodhi's Cafe MySpace page] Later tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. is The Buffalo Killers, and The Sundresses from this afternoon's festival. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [21+]

S U N D A Y

Sunday, August 26 This afternoon from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Highland Bowl (South Ave. at Robinson Dr.) is Wedgestock sponsored by The South Wedge Planning Committee (224 Mt. Hope Ave.) [source: Freetime] German House (315 Gregory St.) will be hosting wicked fun percussive groove-rock from The BuddhaHood starting around 10 p.m. [source: JamBase calendar for Rochester]

T H U R S D A Y

Thursday, August 30 Tonight at The Baobab Cultural Center (728 University Ave., formerly on Gregory St.) is a screening of Akeelah and the Bee starting at 7 p.m. [source: Baobab website] Rocking rockabilly from Krypton 88 will be at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (99 Court St.) starting around 10 p.m. [source: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que calendar]

F R I D A Y

Friday, August 31 Apparently The Critical Mass Bike Ride is tonight starting at 5:30 p.m. at the clock tower near The Wilson Commons at The University of Rochester (Library Road, #39 on River Campus Map.) to The Liberty Pole (1 Liberty Pole Way) at 6 p.m. and heading through the city from there. [source: the proverbial grapevine] Tonight at 6 p.m. starting at The Rochester Contemporary Art Gallery (137 East Ave.) is a historical bike tour titled Down By The River: Obscure Rochester River History guided by Erik Olsson. [source: Obadiah Dogberry Society e-mail] [all ages] Tonight at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is good, somewhat atmospheric, mostly down-tempo rock from Night Gallery, and Strange Montgomery starting around 8 p.m. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages] Over at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) starting around 10 p.m. is really good reggae-rooted dub from Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad. [source: Water Street calendar] [all ages]

M O N D A Y

Monday, September 3 Labor Day

T H U R S D A Y

Thursday, September 6 Tonight at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (99 Court St.) is The BuddhaHood starting around 10 p.m. [source: JamBase calendar for Rochester]

F R I D A Y

Friday, September 7 The BuddhaHood will be at The Montage Live Music Hall (50 Chestnut St., formerly the Montage Grille) starting around 10 p.m. [source: JamBase calendar for Rochester] [all ages]

S A T U R D A Y

Saturday, September 8 Today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. is The Clothesline Arts Festival on the campus of The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] [all ages] The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting the return and "last show" of the funny, talented, surf-ish punk-rock band The Sluts with the awesome punk-rock of The Blastoffs, and high quality heavy metal from Kalibas starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [21+]

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